CONTENT OF FREE LIGHT-CHAINS OF LIQUOR IM MUNOGLOBULINS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS ESTIMATION FOR DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

The serum and liquor of 70 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 54 p atients with other neurological diseases and 20 controls were examined for free light chains (FLC) of immunoglobulins type kappa and lambda. The findings were compared to blood-brain barrier competence, liquor pleocytosis, IgG intrathecal synthesisi. 86% MS patients exhibited hig h levels of liquor kappa - tupe FLC which appeared early in the diseas e course irrespectively of MS phase and pattern. Simultaneous high con tent of lambda - type FLC was reported in 52 % of the cases. Patients in need of differential diagnosis were characterized by normal or redu ced (in spinocerebellar ataxia) concentrations of FLC except for the c onditions with impaired blood-brain barrier.